'Gone Girl' review by Captain Raptor

'Gone Girl' review by Captain Raptor

It's nicely appropriate for a film about hidden secrets and changing one's perception to star Ben Affleck. Who would have known that an award-worthy actor and director was hiding within a man whose CV includes Daredevil, Gigli and Pearl Harbour? But what's good for McConaughey is good for everybody else, and it's been an enjoyable reinvention thus far. The good streak is continuing, but as we saw with the reaction to his appointment to Batman, he's still got a long way to go before he's fully redeemed in the public conscience.

There's one short moment in this film that perfectly summarizes it: Rosamund Pike's character, Amy, has just experienced a truly awful, horrific moment. She sobs twice, then shakes her head, and suddenly it's a stony-eyed game face. It's a film full of duplicitous and unstable people trying to appear like everything's fine, to the point where one of the film's most honest characters is a lawyer who specializes in acquitting wife murderers. This ambiguity and tension massively benefits the film's two sections - the nail-biting mystery thriller of the opening hour, and the social satire that events have transitioned into by the end, where Nick (Affleck's character) tries to convince people of his innocence by making them like him rather than disproving anything. It's a remarkably smart film, filled with menace and intrigue in equal spades, and more than a few shocks thrown in for good measure. Despite being told from multiple unreliable perspectives and a non-linear time frame, it's a film that never unintentionally confuses or becomes wrapped up in itself. The dialogue is well-crafted, often blackly funny, and the film remains deeply atmospheric and gripping whilst cycling through numerous moods and tones.

The brilliance of Gillian Flynn's screenplay, and the mood set by David Fincher's superlative-as-ever direction, is enhanced by a slow, dangerous-sounding score and great performances from a well-cast crop of actors. Kim Dickens mixes stoicism, barely contained fury and deadpan wit as the detective in charge of the investigation, while Tyler Perry is a scream as the aforementioned lawyer, delivering every line with a cool exaggerated charm and perfectly personifying the total lack of morality that Gone Girl wallows in. However, the couple at the center of it all are undoubtedly the best performers, the glue that holds all the brilliance together without letting it spiral into absurdity. The plot takes so many surprising turns that even revealing the nature of their performances is something of a spoiler, but suffice it to say that Affleck and especially Pike demonstrate considerable proficiency and show so much range that their characters feel transformed by the end of the film. Even Affleck's physicality seems tailor-made for the role, his boyish charm and dopey smile makes him look innocent, his hulking physique and "evil chin" (a genuine line from the film) making him look capable of anything - although by judging his culpability on looks, I'm playing right into the very mindset this film disparages.

Gone Girl is a film that expertly builds suspense and then doesn't fail to deliver. It'll keep you second-guessing from beginning to end, and the answers are just as fascinating and troubling as the process by which we find them out. Flynn and Fincher have managed to create a tense and complicated world full of hatred, sex, violence and lies, and it's just an inventive story well told. The drama is sublime, and the satirical observations it makes are both true, and most importantly, interesting. An intelligent, unpredictable affair that's well performed, well put together and well, brilliant. 

'Big Fish' review by Captain Raptor

'Big Fish' review by Jake Boyle

Tim Burton is an irritating kind of film-maker because he's obviously talented and has made some excellent films, which causes his (not infrequent) failures to be all the more upsetting. The man's got an iconic sense of style but often seems afraid to step outside his comfort zone, marring a record containing Batman and The Nightmare Before Christmas with recycled nonsense like Dark Shadows and Alice In Wonderland. I've had numerous experiences with Burton where I've watched a perfectly decent film, but still felt let down because I was expecting something revelatory.

Luckily, Big Fish was not one such film. I think a major reason for this is because the film's narrative suits Burton's storytelling style whilst simultaneously reigning him in. The exaggerated anecdotes told through flashbacks allow Tim to get quirky and over-the-top, showcasing his imagination and penchant for striking visuals, but all the scenes set in reality curb any self-indulgence and make sure that there's a genuine emotional thread through the movie. There's further straying from familiar territory with the total absence of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter only appearing in a small role. Burton's coaxed good performances out of these actors before but by utilizing a cast he's less accustomed to working with, the director yields fresher results - Ewan McGregor exudes charm and wit as the young father and Albert Finney wholly fills the role as the older version. Steve Buscemi gives a nicely droll performance but the role doesn't make the most of the man's talents; even more so for Jessica Lange and Marion Cotillard.

There's certainly no wasting of the story's drama, though. The family dynamic is played out almost beautifully, a blend of love and frustration made evident through Billy Crudup's pained expressions, dialogue that feels like the characters are stifling and repressing what they want to really say, and when the tension fades away in the film's final scenes it's both uplifting and poignant. The comedic moments aren't quite as strong, but the weirdness of the set-ups (carnival freakshows, Stepford-eque hidden towns and impromptu bank robberies) mean that even in the moments when the movie fails to be funny, it is at the very least incredibly interesting. The wholly valid criticism that parts of the film just seem ridiculous can be countered by acknowledging that the exaggeration is not only wholly intentional but a crucial plot point, but while certain elements (10-foot giants and Korean war heroics with Siamese twins) are obviously and playfully far-fetched, the character's dogged and obsessive pursuit of romance comes off as somewhat unsettling whether real or imagined, and whether or not something is intentional becomes something of a moot point when the moment in question is dull or nauseously wacky.

Big Fish is imaginative and idiosyncratic with enough framework that its narrative retains a drive and sense of purpose. The themes are affecting and heartfelt, and the old fashioned Americana-style sets and costumes are invigorating and cheerily colourful. It's certainly no masterpiece - the characters lack a certain depth and the performances don't inspire major cause for celebration - but there's fun to be had in spades, with wit woven throughout and a gloriously tender climax that gives closure to both its characters and the audience. In a reversal of many Tim Burton experiences, I went in with low expectations and came out having thoroughly enjoyed myself. Leaving what he knows best by the wayside has forced him to try something new, and consequently, something better.